Virtual slot machines are well known. Unlike electromechanical slot machines, virtual slot machines have no or very few moving parts. One type of virtual slot machine allows a player to pay money into the machine, make a wager, and initiate play. Initiating play causes the spinning of virtual reels of symbols that are displayed to the player using a graphics display device. Each virtual reel may contain hundreds of symbols available to be displayed in a win evaluation game board. The virtual slot machine generates combinations of symbols randomly and certain winning symbol combinations are associated with awards. When such winning combinations are displayed in the win evaluation game board, the player is entitled to an award, and may collect it immediately or apply it to continue play.